During mining, slate cleavage lines are pried open by the quarry workers to peel, from the parent rock, large sheets of stone. These large sheets and slabs of natural colour and beauty are then simply cut and squared often by hand, sorted and graded for thickness and quality, then crated and shipped from the quarry readying for installation on the floors and the roofs of
our homes and buildings.

The winning and production of naturally cleaved stone requires very little technology, but does require much semi-skilled labour. It is hot and dirty and laborious work. Production quarries are normally in country areas away from the cities. An exception is the classic Chinese Leaf Green slate which is produced in the South West suburbs of Beijing within sight of The Great Wall.

The production of slate and natural stone paving has proven an ideal industry for heavily populated developing countries such as China and India where a large population

 

and an ability to develop the equivalent to a cash crop has assisted slate production to become a significant rural industry. Representatives of The Slate Professionals have spent much time over the years in these quarry areas advising, assisting and accessing the production of material for their Australian customers.

Set up properly and carefully installed, slate and stone paving is low maintenance, long lasting and easily refurbished. By choosing a slate appropriate in colour, quality and serviceability the buyer has a material which will outlast the life ofthe building. The colours available range from classic blues and greys and greens through to the very latest current fashion colours of golden yellow limestone and pale pink and grey pastels.